Carenne Support places lives at risk

Carenne Support's complete lack of regard for student safety has never been more obvious than it was last week. Ever since Dave Graham and Geoff Salmon had the vehicles shipped to Victoria to have gearbox conversions both vehicles have had a series of never-ending problems resulting in Carenne Support having to use hire vehicles.

On Thursday an even more dangerous situation occurred when Carenne Support's Oberon bus's brakes failed whilst driving down Oberon Mount. Fortunately for the students on board the driver was able to control the vehicle even though the brakes had failed.

A spokesman for Clancy Motors told Carenne Gate that the issue was caused by two bolts attaching the brakes to the vehicle snapping. He said "the driver would have noticed the first bolt coming off, there would have been a noise from it hitting parts of the car, instead of checking he kept driving until the second one came off which caused the failure."

When asked what would have caused the problem, the spokesman said "Not being checked properly when the brake pads were replaced, we didn't do those - the brake pads used were cheap, not what we use."

It's time for Carenne Support to explain how this incident occurred.

Neil Moon ignores dangerous parking by Minshull

Incompetent Carenne Special School principal Neil Moon has once again failed to address a serious issue showing that he is more interested in ensuring he looks good and his detractors look bad than he is in dealing with issues at the school. For months, staff have reported concerns about Steve Minshull, Capebase bus driver and Carenne music teacher parking on the grass behind the school office.

After months of having their concerns dismissed by Neil Moon, yesterday those concerns were shown to be completely valid when Steve Minshull almost hit a worker at Glenray next door to the school as he was leaving. Staff allege that Minshull was texting on his phone when he drove along the front lawn of the school and out Glenray's driveway where a worker was standing. The worker was forced to jump out of the way to miss being hit by Minshull.

Staff are concerned that a student could be hit by Minshull if he is allowed to continue parking where he does and that Neil Moon must take action.

Students subjected to exhaust fumes by Carenne Support

Just weeks after the muffler fell off Carenne Support's Oberon bus its Lithgow bus suffered from a similar issue with a hole in a muffler. Carenne Support is known for using defective vehicles and having quick fixes done on their vehicles without any consideration to student safety.

Parents report that for the last two days, Dave Graham has driven the bus with a hole in its exhaust, leaking exhaust fumes into the vehicle. One parent claims when she put her head inside the bus yesterday to speak to Robyn Graham that she could smell noxious fumes in the vehicle.

According to sources close to Carenne Support, Dave Graham has asked Mary Housler to source a relief vehicle but refused to do so placing students at serious risk.

Despite the leaking exhaust Neil Moon is still allowing classes to use the vehicle through the day, exposing more students to dangerous fumes.

Paul Knight resigns from Carenne Support

The mouth of Carenne Support Limited, Paul Knight has resigned from the board of directors following a disagreement with Geoff Salmon, Terry Mahony and Mary Housler. According to a source inside the organisation, the disagreement related to Salmon and Mahony's plans for a fundraising campaign to purchase replacement buses.

Knight believes that it wasn't right for Carenne Support to call for donations to purchase vehicles when it already has $150,000 in the bank and had been using them to make money. He believed to do so would bring more negative publicity to the organisation.

Carenne Special School conducted a fundraising appeal in 2004 and 2005 to purchase new vehicles for the school. Those vehicles ended up in the hands of Carenne Support instead of the school as they were purchased for. The falling out with Paul Knight shows how quickly those in control will turn on those who disagree with them.

Manager of Assisted School Travel ignores serious complaints

Catherine Naismith, the manager of the department's Assisted School Travel Unit has ignored serious complaints about issues involving the travel program at Carenne Special School. This week, departmental whistleblower Save Carenne informed Naismith of a number of issues involving the program at Carenne to be told:

I also note that you claim to be an employee of the Department which therefore places obligations on you in regard to your employer and how you notify the Department of complaints. I strongly recommend that you familiarise yourself with the complaints handling processes of the Department and the Code of Conduct. If you believe that your complaints are of such a nature that the Department ought to take them seriously, then please provide them in the appropriate manner.

If you hold concerns regarding identifying yourself in making a complaint, please familiarise yourself with the Department’s policy Public Interest Disclosures - Internal Reporting Policy

Obviously, Naismith is not aware of the culture that exists within the department in Western NSW from Carole McDiarmid down. Those who complain and speak up routinely face harassment, intimidation and other reprisals. For Naismith to refuse to investigate what are serious issues against a number of people is frightening.

Savecarenne alleged that unapproved escorts had been used by Cheryl Chaplin, Capebase, Carenne Support, Dick Spears and Peter Williams and that the only vehicles meeting department standards were operated by Carenne Support.

Of particular concern was the unapproved use of medically retired assistant principal Lee Churches on Capebase's run given that she was retired due to cognitive and mental health problems. She was subsequently approved despite being a person on the department's Not To Be Employed list.

Savecarenne's complaint raised both safety and child protection issues and has been flatly rejected by the manager of the Assisted School Travel Unit who presided over the unit when 700 students were left stranded at the beginning of the year. It's time the department take action and sack Naismith for gross incompetence.

Parents demand answers from Interchange after accident

On Tuesday, an accident involving one of Interchange Bathurst's buses occurred on the Great Western Highway East of Bathurst. At the time six disabled teenagers were on board the vehicle, which was being driven by 19 year-old P-plater Matthew Daley.

According to a statement in the Western Advocate, Police believe that the driver lost control of the vehicle when he veered into loose gravel on the shoulder of the road. The vehicle left the road hitting a tree and rolled two or three times.

The driver and all passengers in the vehicle were taken to Bathurst Hospital as a precautionary measure.

A number of parents have contacted Carenne Gate dismayed with Interchange management's handling of the accident. One parent said "I can't believe Melinda Phillips believes this is a non-issue, she said it could of happened to anyone. Well it wouldn't happen if they had experienced drivers driving their vehicles. They don't care about the safety of our children."

Another parent claimed to have been badgered by Phillips. "She called me up to tell me there had been an accident and my son was being taken to the hospital. I was quite panicked and she then said 'I need to ask will you be suing us, if you sue we may not be able to provide a service to your son'", said the parent.

Carenne Gate spoke to Bathurst Police who said investigations were continuing into the accident and they believe the statement provided by the driver was inaccurate. Police said that Daley would be charged with negligent driving over the accident.

A whistleblower at Interchange told Carenne Gate that there had previously been complaints about Daley's driving. The whistleblower said that he was aware that Daley had been observed driving in erratically and in excess of the speed limit on a number of occasions. The whistleblower said that he himself had made a complaint to Phillips about Daley's maturity. "He is only 19, 20 next month and of course he is still pretty immature, he has a good rapport with the kids but he should be better supervised."

Students exposed to exhaust fumes by Carenne Support

Students on Carenne Support's wheelchair bus run under the Special Needs Transport Service in Bathurst are being exposed to deadly exhaust gases from its Toyota bus following its quick fix on its back window.

Over the weekend, the rear window of the vehicle was smashed and on Monday, Carenne Support bus coordinator Dave Graham was forced to place a plastic sheet over the window and tape it on after Mary Housler refused to confirm if the damage was covered by insurance or if Carenne Support would pay for it to be repaired.

Students were driven around in the vehicle by Mark Sealey with the rear window missing and unsealed, exposing them to deadly fumes. Under guidelines for the Special Needs Transport Service, Carenne Support may only use a vehicle which is roadworthy and must have sufficient backup vehicles to cover any issues which may arise with the normal vehicle. Carenne Support has no backup vehicles.

The incident shows how Carenne Support puts profit before the safety of students.

Carenne Support driver reported to police

The driving of Dave Graham on his Lithgow bus route was of so much concern to one Carenne staff member on Thursday that she reported it to the Police.

The staff member told Carenne Gate that she was overtaken by the bus, driven by Dave Graham near the Lithgow jail at 4:15pm. She said he overtook her like she was standing still and would of been doing at least 120 kph in a 100 zone. "To not even be at Lithgow by this time is a bit strange and to drive like this to make up time is dangerous," said the witness.

The witness claims that Graham was flashing his headlights for others to get out of the way and was swerving between lanes.

It shows the utter incompetence and lack of regard for safety that Dave Graham and his employer, Carenne Support have.

Just when you thought the directors of Carenne Support couldn't get any stupider...

The Bathurst Bulldogs Rugby Club have once again been duped by Carenne Special School principal Neil Moon and the directors of corrupt school-based organisation Carenne Support. The Bathurst Bulldogs have been a loyal supporter of the school, running a number of fundraisers for the school.

The Bathurst Bulldogs paid for the Carenne Special School decals on Carenne Support's Toyota bus, presumably being led to believe that the bus was owned by the school. Was the club aware that the bus is one of three used by Carenne Support to generate in excess of $130,000 per year under contract to the education department?

On the rear of the bus is a label saying that the bus is proudly supported by the Bathurst Bulldogs Rugby Club. Just what support is being provided to Carenne Special School for the bus, which is actually owned by Carenne Support?

Are they aware of the evidence provided by hacker group Anonymous showing that Carenne Special School has been charged by Carenne Support for using buses which were purchased for it?

It appears that once more Neil Moon, principal of Carenne Special School and the directors of Carenne Support have once again misled the Bathurst community for their own gain. It is time for the education department to take serious action against Neil Moon and Carenne Support for their ongoing corruption.

Student in front of bus almost causes an accident

Today, Matt Casey was observed by a parent driving Carenne's bus along George Street with a student in the front seat without a seat belt. The student grabbed the steering wheel, yanking it causing the bus to swerve narrowly missing a median strip.

The parent said she was shocked the student wasn't wearing a seatbelt and was in the front of the bus.

According to a department official questioned by Carenne Gate, teachers should be in the rear if the vehicle supervising students while the aide drives. To not do so is a breach of child protection guidelines.

Who runs the biggest pile of junk into Carenne?

A number of parents and staff at Carenne Special School have contacted Carenne Gate concerned about the condition of the "town bus" used by Peter Williams to transport students. They claim it is dangerous and unroadworthy and that Neil Moon has refused to make a report to the Special Transport Unit about the vehicle's condition.

According to staff, some time ago the vehicle was involved in an accident which caused damage to the vehicle's structure and the driver's door. The driver of the bus is unable to get in or get out of the vehicle through the door as it no longer opens. According to parents, the bus has been in an unserviceable condition for some time, with the rear window being made of perspex which has discoloured and cracked and the body being full of rust.

Carenne Special School trouble-maker "hatho" has told Carenne Gate that she was told by Peter Williams yesterday that he wasn't going to have the bus repaired until the school holidays. "This ---- is using the bus until the holidays before he even thinks of having it fixed and he hasn't even got a suitable relief vehicle like he is supposed to."

Peter Williams has long been a close friend of a number of Carenne staff according to sources at the school and previously provided transport from the school to RDA prior to its relocation to the rear of Carenne. They claim that he is being given special treatment because of who he is and that staff have been threatened by Neil Moon that if they contact the Special Transport Unit they will be reprimanded.

Carenne Support driver's dangerous parking

A local taxi operator who picks up and drops off students at Bathurst's infamous Carenne Special School has complained to Carenne Gate about Carenne Support's driver, Richard Webster parking his vehicle where he does of an afternoon.

The taxi driver said that Mr Webster has been parking his vehicle on the lawn next to the driveway into the school making it difficult to people walking past. He claims Mr Webster does this because he is unable to walk too far.

"This bloke can't park on the street down from the school and walk up, the bloke can hardly walk. That scares me that this guy is driving a bus with children on it," said the taxi driver.

The taxi driver said that he was very concerned about Mr Webster being able to drive properly, having seen him drive dangerously around town. "This guy doesn't look at giveway signs, he plows on through. He is a menace on the road."

A parent known to this blog as "concerned" was contacted and told Carenne Gate that she has had concerns about Mr Webster for sometime. "I don't like how he is affectionate towards students or how he drives. His driving is very poor, the way he drives when he leaves my house is pretty bad."

The parent claims that Mr Webster told her several months ago that he had been involved in an accident in his own vehicle and that he was charged with negligent driving. "He openly told me that he had been charged with neg driving, I was thinking at the time why would he tell me this? Why is he still driving a bus if he has been charged?"

It once again shows that Carenne Support do nothing about incompetent and unfit people working for them.

Churches uses truancy officer for Carenne Support's benefit, Porter threatens sacked bus driver

According to Carenne Special School whistleblower Jake Rosenberg, Carenne Support CEO and therapy co-ordinator Christine Porter and Carenne Special School assistant principal and Carenne Support Director Lee Churches came up with a plan to bully a parent using the district truancy officer.

Rosenberg claims to have overheard a conversation last week where Porter said Carenne Support's profits had been lower as a result of some parents on its highly profitable Lithgow bus run keeping their children home. According to Rosenberg the only student on the run who regularly attended had been withdrawn from the school.

Churches was heard telling Porter that she would make sure the student was re-enrolled by "getting the truancy officer" on to the parents.

Churches is alleged to have told Porter that the other two students from the Lithgow area couldn't be counted on to maintain the $130,000 earned by the run.

During the discussion Rosenberg heard Mrs Porter say she would attack former Carenne bus driver Jenny O'Neill out if her salary was reduced to cover the shortfall.

It shows that profit comes before students with Carenne Support.

Carenne Support acknowledges faeces in bus

On 15 February 2010, parents were sent home a letter from Bus Co-Ordinator Christine Porter acknowledging that there had been a "faeces stain" on the front seat of the bus for the afternoon run on 8 February 2010 as reported on this blog.

In the letter Ms Porter apologises for students being subjected to a "health risk" and for having to "endure the smell for the duration of the trip". In the letter, Ms Porter also states that Carenne Support has introduced new procedures to ensure that students would not be exposed to health risks.

SNTS approved student has to be bought to school by parent, bus broken

A student who has been approved for transport under the Special Needs Transport Scheme has had to be bought to and from Carenne by his parent while the bus, operated by Carenne Support is in Sydney having repairs, possibly using another cheap fix.

Carenne Support has a history of using cheap fixes on their buses, with Geoff Salmon in 2009 having the vehicle fixed in Sydney, later to dangerously leak hydraulic fluid as the line was routed incorrectly and a minor electrical fire in another bus which had the hoist installed on the cheap, again in Sydney.

Hatho claims that on Friday Carenne Support's new bus supervisor, Dave Graham wanted to reallocate the student to another bus temporarily without the education department knowing but was told he could not by principal Neil Moon because it was against transport policy.

Why couldn't the bus have been fixed in the holidays when it wasn't being used without disadvantaging students who need the service?

Why was Gillian Salmon on the interview panel?

A Carenne Support whistleblower has questioned why Gillian Salmon was allowed on the interview panel for the bus supervisor/driver position which appointed Dave Graham to the position and caused the dismissal of Jenny O'Neill.

The whistleblower claims that there had been a serious grievance made about Gillian's husband Geoff Salmon by Mrs O'Neill and that Mrs Salmon would have had a bias against Mrs O'Neill.

One interviewee told Carenne Gate that when he was interviewed he was told that Gillian was an "independent" parent. This claim was clearly false when Mrs Salmon's husband is a director and the company secretary.

It would appear that Carenne Support is continuing to act in an unprofessional and deceptive manner.

Terry Mahony's carelessness has exposed DET to financial claims

Former Carenne Special School principal and Director of Carenne Support Limited Terry Mahony has exposed the NSW Department of Education and Training to possible claims for unpaid and underpaid wages.

In a document supplied to the NSW DET Legal department, Mr Mahony claims that he is aware that he may have underpaid Brian Carter. In a letter provided by Mr Carter to Carenne Support (and subsequently forwarded to NSW DET Legal) Mr Carter claims he was underpaid over $10,000. On some occasions, Mr Carter was underpaid by as much as $3.38 per hour.
He was also unpaid for time he was required to be stationary in Lithgow according to his letter.

In a statement prepared by Mr Carter's lawyers and provided to the department's Employee Performance and Conduct unit in 2009, Mr Carter warned the department that Mr Mahony's signing of a claim form as principal (for the company he was a director of) could expose the department to liability for unpaid and underpaid wages under the state Industrial Relations Act as it is Carenne Support's primary contractor.

Despite Mr Mahony signing a statement claiming that Carenne Support had properly paid its employees when it had not, Mr Mahony also signed the form as a representative of the department approving payment. The department was aware that Carenne Support had not properly paid its employees. Mr Mahony's signing of a false contractor statement could also be a criminal offence.

It is unacceptable that the carelessness of Carenne Support can expose the state to financial claims. One must ask why Carenne Support retains its contract with the Department of Education and Training when it has caused so much grief for both the school it claims to help and the wider department.

As another example of how Carenne Support treats its workers, employees were owed superannuation from as far back as 2006 which Carenne Support had never paid. An investigation by the Australian Taxation Office in 2009 revealed that Carenne Support owed this superannuation and required it to pay all employees the owed superannuation plus interest.

Carenne Support job advertisement raises questions

The publication of an advertisement in Bathurst's Western Advocate today has raised questions about how Carenne Support runs its organisation.

The advertisement claims that "Carenne Support is an independent company that uses its profits to benefit the students of Carenne Public School." Just what does Carenne Support believe an independent company to be? Would an independent company be so reliant on the Department of Education and Training?

Confusingly, Carenne Support has charitable status with a number of government organisations but has also in the past claimed it is a trading company in its failed bid to deny whistleblower Brian Carter justice. In the judgment in that case, the judge described Carenne Support as:

Carenne was established in 2004 to improve the therapy services for disabled students at Carenne School. Carenne described itself as a limited liability company having benevolent status for fund raising and taxation purposes.

The judge also noted the reasons that Mr and Mrs Salmon started Carenne Support:

Their interest arose from the needs of their son who was assessed early in his life as being developmentally delayed, mentally and physically. Mr Salmon was of the view that the level of support from therapists, particularly speech therapists, physiotherapists and occupational therapists, was inadequate to meet the needs of young people in the region who had a range of disabilities. There did not appear to be an organisation providing advocacy on behalf of disadvantaged young people and so Mr Salmon took steps to establish an independent charitable organisation that could help provide additional therapy services as well as being an organisation that could represent the interests of this particular group.

Mr Salmon sought funding on the false premise that Carenne Support would provide outreach services to the wider Bathurst area in 2005, taking funding which had been allocated to the Spastic Centre in Orange away from it. This claim appears to be a blatant lie. According to evidence given to the court it was found that:

In February 2006, the Department of Disabilities began allocating funds to Carenne to provide therapy services to fill service gaps that had arisen due to vacant therapy positions in that Department. Since July 2006, Carenne had invoiced the Department for physiotherapy services provided to students attending the Carenne school as well as the student from Bathurst High School.

In five years just one student from outside of Carenne Special School has received therapy from Carenne Support, yet this was the part of the reason they were provided funding by the Department of Disabilities. Mr Salmon said they would provide outreach and it is obvious that they have not.

The structure of the new bus driver/supervisor position also needs to be questioned. Have existing staff been consulted on the change? What effect will this have on existing staff? How can the supervisor supervise themselves? What happens if there is a complaint about the driver, does the driver/supervisor look at it? Why can't their paid CEO Christine Porter look after it, wouldn't it be part of the CEO's role or are they just adding another level of bureaucracy and looking to employ another friend?

As an organisation which has tax exempt and charity status who also receives its income from the government we have a democratic right to question it.

Another possible Carenne Support bus scam uncovered

Another possible scam involving Carenne Support and its buses which it obtained by deception has been uncovered by Carenne Gate bloggers.

A source told bloggers that she had come across registration papers for the Carenne Support buses which despite earning in excess of $185,000 per year from its bus runs from the Department of Education and Training pays no motor vehicle tax as the usage is claimed to be "For the transport of persons with a disability" (RTA Code HAND).

Under RTA guidelines, only welfare or community transport organisations may apply for HAND vehicle status. The vehicles must be used principally for the transport of people with intellectual or mobility impairment. Vehicles registered to government agencies and private operators are not eligible.

While Carenne Support could argue that their vehicles are used for the transport of intellectual or mobility impaired students, the RTA has told bloggers that they strongly believe that a vehicle used to receive substantial reward would not be granted HAND status.

Carenne Support is however eligible for Charity vehicle registration status which would entitle it to a small motor vehicle tax concession.

It shows yet another possible scam by an organisation which defrauded the Bathurst community to obtain the buses (as the photo shows even the Variety Club thought they were for Carenne School) and has been caught defrauding the NSW Department of Education and Training under its contract.

Evidence surfaces that Carenne Support defrauded the Lions Club

A flyer promoting the Bathurst Farmer's Markets provides evidence that Carenne Support Limited, the organisation at the centre of the Carenne Gate affair defrauded the Lions Club of Bathurst when they received two buses which were supposed to have been purchased for Carenne Special School.

The bottom of the flyer mentions the projects that the Lions Club of Bathurst has donated to and at the very top of the list is the "Bathurst Carenne Public School Bus Appeal".

It is not the first time that evidence has been found in the Bathurst community that benefactors believed the money they had donated went to Carenne Special School and not Carenne Support. In October last year a certificate of appreciation from Carenne Special School to McDonalds was posted on Sydney Indymedia.

After the photograph was posted, it was alleged that Simone Russell's husband Scott, a member of the NSW Police Force went in uniform to McDonalds and demanded the CCTV footage so he could identify who took the photograph.

It is clear that the community of Bathurst has been defrauded by Carenne Support, which now uses buses which were purchased for the school to receive over $180,000 per year under contract to the Department of Education and Training.